Integrated circuit (“IC”) packages typically include one or more integrated circuit dies that are mounted on and electrically connected to a leadframe. The die and leadframe are encapsulated in plastic mold compound. Portions of the leadframe are exposed through the mold compound enabling the die to be connected to external circuits.
During IC package formation, structure that will eventually become leadframes are initially integrally connected leadframe portions of a leadframe strip. Dies are mounted on and electrically connected to each of these leadframe portions while the leadframe portions remain integrally connected in the leadframe strip. The dies mounted on each of the leadframe portions are generally wire bonded connected to leads of a leadframe portion on which they are mounted and are subsequently encapsulated in mold compound. This molded leadframe strip assembly is then sawed (singulated/diced) to separate the assembly into individual IC packages, each containing a leadframe and at least one die.